Homemade Skidsteer Log Grapple

[benp]

My neighbor picked up a little grapple off of Auction Time a few weeks ago for an idea he had about making an attachment for the skidsteer. The ad for it was a little misleading since since there was no size reference. We didn't know how small it was until his dad went to pick it up and texted him that it was a cute little rascal. Oh well.

He got to welding last week and came up with this. He added a return spring from trailer ramp to get it to self center. Works pretty good.





Testing it out in the shop to see how smooth it could be operated without a proportional (? think that's what he called it) fitting to make it a little smoother. It is actuated by the thumb wheel on the bucket hand control.



Trying it out with wood.



The operating learning curve almost wiped out my pretty stacked elm row on the end, that's why I am yammering and caught myself from letting a couple expletives out. lol



During the initial test we adjusted the hoses so there was more slack at the couplers and not as tight like in the picture.

All in all, it works really slick. The best part is now you you don't have to square off with the log pile to load like you do with a grapple bucket. You can now go from the side and go from the top down and it has a nice high reach.

Eta-

Here's a picture of the log pile to make it a little more clear.

 

[lknchoppers]

My neighbor picked up a little grapple off of Auction Time a few weeks ago for an idea he had about making an attachment for the skidsteer. The ad for it was a little misleading since since there was no size reference. We didn't know how small it was until his dad went to pick it up and texted him that it was a cute little rascal. Oh well.

He got to welding last week and came up with this. He added a return spring from trailer ramp to get it to self center. Works pretty good.





Testing it out in the shop to see how smooth it could be operated without a proportional (? think that's what he called it) fitting to make it a little smoother. It is actuated by the thumb wheel on the bucket hand control.



Trying it out with wood.



The operating learning curve almost wiped out my pretty stacked elm row on the end, that's why I am yammering and caught myself from letting a couple expletives out. lol







Awesome pile of wood you have there !!

During the initial test we adjusted the hoses so there was more slack at the couplers and not as tight like in the picture.

All in all, it works really slick. The best part is now you you don't have to square off with the log pile to load like you do with a grapple bucket. You can now go from the side and go from the top down and it has a nice high reach.

Eta-

Here's a picture of the log pile to make it a little more clear.

Awesome pile of wood you have there !!

 

[svk]

Ben that is awesome. NOW, we really need to have a GTG at my cabin and you can bring that along

 

[benp]

Awesome pile of wood you have there !!

I look at it as my to do list. Lol.

Just can't say no to the log guy when he calls with good deals.

Ben that is awesome. NOW, we really need to have a GTG at my cabin and you can bring that along

If I am able drag the neighbor along. This is his busy time of year and the skidsteer is almost never here.

 

[ponyexpress976]

That looks like a fine tool to have in the shed!

 

[benp]

A little update.

The cylinder took a dump the other day and the neighbor believes it was shot from the ding ding based upon how it looked when he ripped it apart.

New cylinder when in Saturday and we took things to the next level.

I would cut the load as he held it alternating back and forth between the ends as the weight distribution changed.

6 grapple loads cut split and stacked in around 40-45 minutes. Worked super slick and we figure that serious progress could be made in the normal 2-3 hour summer cutting routine this way.

Sorry no pictures but I think you guys can envision this.

 

[mesupra]

A tracked skid loader is a great tool. Very quick and productive. With a grapple like that could move some serious wood with short twitches

 

[olyman]

A little update.

The cylinder took a dump the other day and the neighbor believes it was shot from the ding ding based upon how it looked when he ripped it apart.

New cylinder when in Saturday and we took things to the next level.

I would cut the load as he held it alternating back and forth between the ends as the weight distribution changed.

6 grapple loads cut split and stacked in around 40-45 minutes. Worked super slick and we figure that serious progress could be made in the normal 2-3 hour summer cutting routine this way.

Sorry no pictures but I think you guys can envision this.

friend has a 3410 gehl. bucket wasn't the best,,but he made a grapple attached to the bucket for it anyway. said he was going to build something a bit different. asked what was going to do with old one,,as id buy it.....said he needed some bigger tines for the new one.. the ones he wanted,,from the dealer,,were 68 clams apiece!!!!!! told him id get with him the next day.. day came,,i told him I could get them for 11 apiece!!! he said go ahead, I did, and he gave me the whole assm. asked him how much,,he said don't worry about it!!! I did go to the same person I got the tines from, with the old bucket....he made a new bucket steel, off of the old bucket form...just need to weld together,,and have done it before.....new dealer bucket was 685, sheet metal forms from him were 200!!!!!

 

[tla100]

friend has a 3410 gehl. bucket wasn't the best,,but he made a grapple attached to the bucket for it anyway. said he was going to build something a bit different. asked what was going to do with old one,,as id buy it.....said he needed some bigger tines for the new one.. the ones he wanted,,from the dealer,,were 68 clams apiece!!!!!! told him id get with him the next day.. day came,,i told him I could get them for 11 apiece!!! he said go ahead, I did, and he gave me the whole assm. asked him how much,,he said don't worry about it!!! I did go to the same person I got the tines from, with the old bucket....he made a new bucket steel, off of the old bucket form...just need to weld together,,and have done it before.....new dealer bucket was 685, sheet metal forms from him were 200!!!!!

Dang, that ain't bad for a new bucket. Is that a 60" ? I had an old Gehl 4400 a couple years ago, pretty decent old machine.

I would love a grapple for my skid, maybe next year. Forks work pretty dang good for right now.

 

[olyman]

Dang, that ain't bad for a new bucket. Is that a 60" ? I had an old Gehl 4400 a couple years ago, pretty decent old machine.

I would love a grapple for my skid, maybe next year. Forks work pretty dang good for right now.

yes, 60. remember,,this was new side panels, new main bucket,and a few periphials. I still have to cut the main "stringers" off, that attach the bucket to the skid steer, then after the bucket is welded..weld those onto the new one..but even so......when I welded up the 2500 bucket,,it took me one hr.............if I could figure out the pic thing,,id post a pic when I get it done..he used old implement parts to make the grapple...cyls included...